Developed at Harvard in the 1920’s by Dr. William Marston, this validated & reliable personality survey has become one of the most used tools in business today. There are 4 primary personality styles, but everyone has some combination of these.

Being in leadership or management is never easy. Leaders have to make the tough decisions, confront others at times to address difficult topics, and address their team in a way that properly relays information, yet doesn’t deplete morale. Employees can take things personally, like tone of voice, body language, feeling dismissed, feeling confused, and the list goes on. It’s important as a leader to understand communication tendencies and the needs of those you manage. This will allow for effective communication, which leads to productivity & improved morale.

The first step is to identify ones own leadership style. There are decisive leaders, who have a vision and want to move quickly towards it, expecting to see results and for everyone to work towards the vision. There are cooperative leaders, who want consensus from the team, who thinking about building teams, and keeping the peace. These leaders may move slower towards change and consult their team more often. There are conscientious leaders, who want accuracy and correctness, moving slower towards decisions, until they have adequate information and are sure they are making proper moves. No style is better than others, but each affects the results and the staff differently.

The second step is to identify the personality of those on your team. Some people want to show results, while others want to analyze and contribute information, while others want to please and will do whatever they are assigned to do and seek peaceful work environments with no conflict. Some people are active, while others are passive. Some people are people focused while others are focused on tasks, processes & results.

If a leader understands their own natural tendencies and can adapt that to meet the needs of those on their team, it creates the most productive environment with the clearest communication and exchange of instructions & information. By understanding the styles of others, you can work within each person’s strengths.